Seven Signs
The Seven Signs refers to a competition between two rival forces for control over the Seven Seals. This competition has the potential to change the state of their server. The following is written on the Lineage 2 Official Site:http://www.lineage2.com/Knowledge/sevensigns.html :: As the Seven Seals that bind the power of Shilen, the goddess of death, are opened one by one, the world moves closer to the brink of chaos. Each Seal contains a great power that could cause the world to tremble. The one who opens the Seals can control the power contained within them. The Revolutionary Army of Dusk and the Lords of Dawn compete against each other toward this end. Players join one of these two cabals who vie for control over the power of the Seals. :: An unlimited number of players can join the Seven Signs quest, which repeats in two-week intervals. Based on the results of the Seven Signs, players can change the status of their server. :: Players participating in the Seven Signs gather their forces. The fight between the Cabals reflects the nature of the confrontation between those who hold a castle and those who do not. However, players who fail to make a second change of occupation fall into a "neutral group" and may participate in either the Dusk or Dawn side. Avarice The Seal of Avarice, likely named because of the events surrounding its creation, is a seal that locked Lilith and Anakim and their forces within the Necropoli. The following is written about the Seal of Avarice: : In the process of casting the Seal of Gnosis, Emperor Shunaiman and his followers are said to have gained the ability to tell the future. Perhaps this was derived from the power of Einhasad, that of Shilen, or from the gods themselves. : Soon after the Seal of Gnosis was cast, the followers of Einhasad foretold of a black snake slithering on the ground. This was a sign of an unfortunate threat soon to be revealed true. The followers of Shilen thrived under Lilith's leadership, greatly enhancing their forces and reestablishing the army of Lilim in the eight underground cities of the Necropoli. They performed ceremonies to call forth Shilen from the afterworld. : The emperor, having forfeited the majority of his army for control of the Catacombs, was unable to force his citizens into war, yet again to deal with this new threat. A Dwarf appeared before the emperor. As representative of the Dwarven guild called the Merchants of Mammon, he offered to lend the king funds to form a new military. The suspicious emperor asked about his motives. The Dwarf of Mammon explained that his guild had been supporting the Children of Shilen, but the stars overseeing the fate of times had changed. Therefore, they decided to do business with the forces of Einhasad, who were newly foreseen as the victors. Although this mysterious Dwarf group seemed untrustworthy, the emperor could discern no falsehood in the Dwarf's words. The weapons and armor he offered were of such high quality they were difficult to refuse. The emperor and the Merchants of Mammon were said to have signed a contract of unknown details. : Few records of the Merchants of Mammon exist, but they recognize the Mammon and tell that the future of wealth and business flow with the movements of the stars. It is known they were expelled from the Dwarven kingdom. Surprisingly, this guild is said to survive even to this day. : Emperor Shunaiman was the sponsor for this guild. He was able to form a new Nephilim army and launch an attack on the Necropoli. That he was able to lead such a holy war was thanks to none other than Anakim, the representative of Einhasad. In the darkness of the underground, the armies of light and death fought fiercely. Blood scattered in all directions, filling the rivers, seas, and even the skies with a red energy. The multitudes trembled, but the emperor saw that a new era was beginning. Silently, he waited until the time was right. : Finally, Lilith, the daughter of Shilen, cloaked herself in the power of darkness and arose, but Anakim came forward to block her. This girl of pure white flew through the sky on three pairs of wings. But the final victor of the battle was not Anakim or Lilith. Emperor Shunaiman cast a spell of sealing as the forces of light and death entered into the Necropoli, entombing the forces of Shilen, along with Anakim and the Nephilim. : This second seal was called the Seal of Avarice. One might guess this is due to the secret contract between the emperor and the Merchants of Mammon. :: History of the Empire 1731, from "The Hidden History of Elmoreden" as recorded by Historian Mateo of the Ivory Tower Gnosis The Seal of Gnosis was used to seal the Lilim within the Catacombs, created through the might of Shunaiman. The following is written about the seal of Gnosis: : As outside threats eventually dissipated, Emperor Shunaiman applied his efforts to strengthen his empire internally. In the ten years that followed, the new empire became strong, controlling the entire continent through large-scale development and territorial expansion. Castles were built and lords appointed, taxes collected and the empire economy steadily grew. Around this time, some proclaimed the faith of Shilen among the populace. The Emperor ordered his lords to punish them, but they were unable to drive these zealots from the kingdom. Though many died, the Emperor would not relent. Following Anakim's gnosis of the gods, the emperor mobilized the Nephilim and discovered the six underground temples of the worshippers of Shilen. : Shunaiman called these underground temples the Catacombs, for they were the final resting places of those cult members who rejected the worship of Einhasad. Shunaiman's military attacked the gangs of Shilen who had already faced defeat at the hands of the Nephilim. However, ultimate victory was not an easy task to obtain. New enemies appeared, called the Lilim. The Lilim were created from the dark magic of Shilen, and they were unaffected by the Nephilim. As they were unafraid of death, these warriors knew not how to retreat on the battlefield. : After an extended and all-consuming battle, the emperor finally subdued the six Catacombs, but his forces were decimated in the process. Countless corpses of the Lilim and Nephilim were scattered about the underground temples. Certain there were no other forces to challenge his authority, Shunaiman cast a Seal of Gnosis on all the Catacombs. This first of the seven seals was so-named because it was a miracle achieved through Anakim's gnosis. Entombed in the deep underground, the groups of immortals that followed Shilen began to disappear from memory. :: History of the Empire 1731, from "The Hidden History of Elmoreden" as recorded by Historian Mateo of the Ivory Tower Strife The Seal of Strife was created to control the possession of the Castles, to prevent the Children of Shilen from taking them. The following is written about the Seal of Strife: : Lilith and the forces of Shilen were imprisoned underground by the Seal of Avarice, but the Children of Shilen remained above ground. Those who rejected the revelation of Shunaiman, the black magicians that worshiped the god of death, and the Elven tribes that returned to Eva and followed Shilen, all challenged the absolute authority of Einhasad. Some of them insisted they had received the revelation of Lilith, but since they collected huge treasures, it is certain they received some assistance. : Emperor Shunaiman controlled the enormous territory of the empire because he harnessed the power of Sacredness by communing with the Sacred Article. The emperor widened his control to the outer reaches, demonstrating more absolute power than ever before. The emperor taught others in his employ how to commune with the Sacred Article as well - a decision he would live to regret. : During this time, the emperor did not age, an effect that was tied to the power of the seals. Perhaps as punishment of the gods for Shunaiman's arrogance, the Children of Shilen took the West Sea Bridge and invaded the empire. At first, Shilen's army seemed unable to attack the castles, but Gludio and Dion were soon taken. Somehow, the followers of the god of death had learned the mysterious powers of the Sacred Article and were employing it in their sieges. : Finally, after the fall of Giran Castle, Emperior Shunaiman made a fateful resolution. He cast the magic of a seal that would tie up the power that controlled all the castles of the territory. As a result, although he gave up most of his control, the enemy forces could not control the castles they had gained. His army counterattacked and recovered the castles, successfully pushing the forces of Shilen out of the empire. A third seal was created, given the name Seal of Strife, which controlled all castles and territories on the continent. :: History of the Empire 1731, from "The Hidden History of Elmoreden" as recorded by Historian Mateo of the Ivory Tower Vengeance This section is incomplete. Please add more information. Awakening This section is incomplete. Please add more information. Calamity This section is incomplete. Please add more information. Descent This section is incomplete. Please add more information. Seal Stones Emperor Shunaiman, who had the power to control all seven seals, was like a god of the land. Yet, he knew that all this incredible power could drive the world to ruin, if held by only one person. Toward the end of his rule, Shunaiman searched for a way to pass control of the seals to his successors. As a result, only those linked to the emperor by blood would inherit control of the seals. This is the Secret Held in the Empire Bloodline, referenced by the Fighters of Dawn. For nearly a thousand years, the ancestors of the family of the Emperor Shunaiman of Elmoreden held the power to control the seven seals, thoroughly educated in the methods of using them. However, the inheritance of the emperor’s bloodline ended with Emperor Baium. Baium used the Tower of Insolence to absorb the power of the Lilim and Nephilim, which was sealed in various places underground. But his plan, both grand and foolhardy, ended in failure due to the intervention of Saint Solina. The Tower of Insolence collapsed while the magic reversed, so the power flowing in the blood of Baium was transferred to the bodies of the Nephilim and Lillim. The destruction of Emperor Baium caused the bloodline of the emperors of Elmoreden forever to lose power over the seals. Soon, it became apparent that this power had not disappeared, but rather remained in the form of Seal Stones in the bodies of Nephilim and Lilim. With multiple Seal Stones gathered together, one could gain the power to control the seven seals. Through the ancient documents excavated from the Tower of Insolence, those who discovered this secret formed their forces into the Revolutionary Army of Dusk and the Lords of Dawn. They dispatched teams to the Necropolis and Catacombs, holding various festivals to determine who could gather the most Seal Stones. This is how the fierce competition between the two sides to control the seals first began. History of the Empire 1731, from “The Hidden History of Elmoreden” as recorded by Historian Mateo of the Ivory Tower Ancient Adena Ancient Adena is money that is circulated only within the Lords of Dawn and the Revolutionaries of Dusk. It is also used when trading with the Blacksmith of Mammon and Merchant of Mammon. Seal Stones have the following values, when converted to Ancient Adena: Ancient Adena may be exchanged for items by Cabal members at the Priest of Dawn or Priestess of Dusk when that Cabal is victorious (See your server's details to find out which side normally wins). A list of items and their costs follows: Festival of Darkness Notes Category:Lore Category:Gameplay